The scenario of eSports in India has changed dramatically in the last couple of years. Regardless of being around for over 10 years, the game needs exposure among the general public, and this is because of myths related to it like “not being a real sport” or the absence of clarity and confusion that encompasses the game. These are some reasons why eSports is still far from getting what’s expected.

Every myth was debunked as it made its debut as an official medal sport at the Asian Games 2022 and as a main event at the Commonwealth Games 2022.

The ongoing size of the Indian esports industry is INR 250 crores, and the prediction for the CAGR is supposed to be 46% in the following four years. The esports industry is supposed to see a development of four times the assumed amount of INR 1,100 crore by 2025 as per the recent report “Ready. Set. Game. On!” by E&Y in 2021.

These forecasts have ensured that the noticeable quality and rise of eSports are felt by all stakeholders, but how exactly has this strange industry become such a high-potential revenue generation market in India?

Here are some of the key contributing factors:

Covid-19
At the beginning of the new decade, we saw a worldwide pandemic hit all over the world. While COVID-19 was a disaster for many people in the working and business sectors around the world, it turned out to be a safe haven for eSports. Since arranging competition outside was restricted, eSports was the main space that had the chance to benefit from the situation and adjust to the work-from-home mode. During the lockdown, people sat inactive at home, consuming massive amounts of online content, and it was around this time that eSports became an essential part of this cycle.

While competitions and occasions for BGMI, Valorant, Call of Duty, Tekken 7, DOTA 2, and different games were being conducted online, individuals began participating in huge numbers with these games as well. Esports is now greatly benefiting from streaming and publicizing income, with no trace of the revenue generated from offline events for the currently sold-out audience of esports fans.

As per the new FICCI-EY report, the viewership of eSports rose from 600,000 hours in 2020 to 2 million hours in 2021, while the revenue increased by 29% from INR 7.5 billion in 2020 to INR 9.7 billion in 2021. Additionally, the number of eSports players has increased from 300,000 in 2020 to 600,000 in 2021. The eSports teams have likewise seen the development of more than half, from 60,000 in 2020 to 100,000 in 2021.

The pandemic was a revival for the eSports industry, giving another chance to its development, having an impact on individuals’ viewpoints, and triggering individuals to accept there is a lifelong career in this field.

Affordable Internet Services and Smartphones
India is one of the countries that provide affordable data to its citizens. The expense of accessing the Internet is reasonable here, and its accessibility is spread all over the nation. If combined with the number of affordable cell phones, the numbers are just on the ascent, and you will find the reason why mobile gaming has become such a major phenomenon in the country.

The Indian eSports environment is generally overwhelmed by mobile-driven games. As of now, getting a cell phone for under INR 10,000 with an incredible gaming experience has enabled gamers to effortlessly burst onto the gaming scene. From there, the massive exposure made possible by easy and affordable Internet access has seen an increasing number of people in the country turn to eSports.

Going by the EY report, the development seen in eSports is supposed to keep going in 2022 as well, with the number of players arriving at 1 million, out of which 20% would be females. India is additionally expected to have 10 global eSports teams by 2022.

Brand Collaboration:
Any brand expects a significant target group that is similarly engaged, and eSports provides something very similar. The ever-increasing number of eSports fans, particularly in India, has created a lucrative marketing opportunity for both endemic and non-endemic brands to capitalize on.

Using eSports teams to promote, obtain sponsorships, sell their product, and diversify has resulted in significant revenue for brands, which is expected to grow in the future. The EY report lets us know that approximately 72 brands will have invested in this industry in 2021, compared with 42 brands in 2020, and this number will arrive at 100 brands in 2022, according to the business estimates.

Brands’ focus has not been limited to just games or competitions, as they are also investing heavily in content creators, which is an important addition to the eSports community. The fan following of a content maker is age freethinker and the maker audience relationship in this context are major areas of strength for exceptionally similarly engaging. This successful association enables manufacturers to be extremely persuasive among their diverse set of customers, and they can influence them to buy their products.

Endemic brands have regularly teamed up with makers to promote different tech items. Facebook Gaming, a live streaming platform, committed $2 billion to assist content creators, while others have grown enormously due to the fame of their creators.

Competitive Tournaments and Appealing Remuneration
The tremendous number of high-profile competitions offering amazing prizes has expanded the degree of rivalry among the teams and players, drawing out the best in them. Like this, the streaming platforms or brands competing to sort out these competitions have expanded a long way, yet it has likewise drawn out the best in the game, helping the community all in all.

Krafton recently announced the Battlegrounds Mobile India Pro Series, which will have two seasons and a prize pool of INR 2 crores, the most elevated prize pool for any eSports competition in India so far. The award pool for the second edition of the Esports Premier League, India’s most memorable franchise-based eSports competition, coordinated by India Today Gaming, is INR 1 crore.

The math is simple. As per the most recent data shared by the Commonwealth Gam population (52%), that population is younger than 30. Except for other gamers, content creators, and various other advantageous vocations such as eSports or gaming, the average age of Indian eSports competitors ranges from 14 to 22. With this main method, the sun will sparkle brilliantly on the eSports business in India for a long time to come, with boundless development and vast opportunities.

Credit: The Times of India